Circuit interrupter



C. H. HODGKINS.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLIQAHON FILED JAN. 5, 1912 Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

SHEET 1.

3 SHEETS- lNVENTOR S E S S E N W W C. H. HODGKINS.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 5. 191a.

Patented Aug. 1, 1'

WITNESSES:

Wwm

a7 ATTORNEY C. H. HODGKINS.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 19m.

Patented Aug. 1, 1922..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR 6 m W W m WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY T all whom it may concern:

CHARLES H. HODGKKNS, 01 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC a; MAN'UTAGTURHEG COMPANY, A CORPORATION OE PENNSYL- VAHIA.

CIRCUIT INTER R'UJPTEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 5, 1918. serial Ito. 210,528.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Hono- KINS, a subject of the King of Great Br1tain, and a resident of Pittsburgh in the county of Allegheny and State of iennsyl- Vania, have invented a. new and useful l nprovement in Circuit Interrupters, of whlch the following is a specification.

My invent on relates to circuit interrupt ers and particularly to circuit interrupters of the quick-acting type.

One object of my invention is to provide a circuit interrupter that shall be adapted to open and close quickly, upon a relatively small movement of the operating handle.

Another object of my invention is to provide a double-acting spring for a circuit interrupter that shall be adapted to quickly close the contact members and to so tension another spring during the closing operation that, when the contact members are released, the other spring will quickly disengage the same.

A further object of my invention is provide an interrupter of the above 1nd1- cated character that shall be relatively inexpensive to construct and efi'ective in its operation.

In practicing my invention, I provide a movable contact-carryi member, an operating member, a sleeve isposed around the operating member and relatively movable with respect thereto and a toggle mechanism connected to the sleeve member and, through a p-in-and-slot lost-motion connection, to the operating member. A double-acting spring is connected through a pin-and-slot lostmotion connection to the toggle mechanism and is adapted to be moved to one side of its dead-center position when the toggle mechanism is set and to the other side thereof to quickly close the interrupter. The closing of the interrupter is adapted to so tension another spring that, when the toggle mechanism is upset, the other spring quickly opens the interrupter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa fragmentary perspective view of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention, with the various parts in relative position but spaced apart for clearness, the interrupter being in its open position; and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are end views, partially in section and partially in elevation, illustrating the open, reset and closed positions, respectively, of the interrupter, one wall of'a casmgF therefor being omitted.

he circuit interrupter 1 comprises, in general, a casing 2, an oil-containi receptacle 3 that is adapted to be secure to the lower side of the casing 2, stationary contact members 4, movable contact members 5, an operating handle 6 and an operating mecham m 7- The stationary contact members 4 are mounted on an insulated rod 8 that is secured in the Walls 9 and 10 of the receptacle 2, The movable contact members 5 are secured to an insulated rod 11 that is pivotally mounted in the walls 9 and 10 and is disposed in parallel relation with the rod 8.

A stationary rod 12, having an insulating sleeve 13 thereon, is mounted in the walls 9 and 10 of'the receptacle 2 and is adapted to support terminal members 14 for the movable contact members 5. The handle 6 is mounted on a rod or shaft 15 that is rotatably supported in the walls 9 and 10 and upon which is mounted an arm 16 having a in 17 therein and an arm 18 having a pro 3ection 19 thereon. A cylindrical member or sleeve 20 loosely surrounds the rod 15 and has lever arms 21 and 22 on the respective ends thereof. The lever arm 22 is operatively connected by a pin 22 to one end ot a link 23 the other end of which is connected to a lever arm 24 that is mounted on the rod 11. A stationary pin 23, in the wall 10, limits the movement of the arm 22 in one direction. A spring 25 is operatively connected to the lever arm 22 and to a stationary pin 26 in the walls 10 of the receptacle 2. A member 27, having two substantially angularly-displaced portions 28 and 29, is loosely mounted on the rod 15. The portion 28 has an opening 30 therein that is adapted to receive the pin 17 in the member 16. The portion 29 is provided with an openin 31 that is adapted to receive a pin 32 whic is mounted on a double-armed member 33, one arm of which is of substantially lL-shape. One end of a link 34 is connected by a pm 28 to one end of the portion 28 of the member 27 The other end of the link 34 is connected, by a pin 34, to one end of a link 35 the other of which is connected, by a pin 21*, to one end of the arm 21. The link 34 is provided with a projection 36 that is adapted to engage a latch 37 in a latch member 38 that 1s mounted, by a pin 38*, on the link 35. A

pin 39 is mounted on the link 34 and is adapted to engage a projection 40 on the link 35 for the purpose of limiting the setting of the toggle mechanism constituted by the links 34 and 35. The member 33 is pivotally mounted, by pins 33, on a bracket 41 and is provided with a spring 42, one end of which 1s connected to a pin 42" of the member 33 and the other end of which is connected to the rod 12.

When the handle 6 is moved, counterclockwise from its left-hand dot-and-dashline position of Fig. 2 to the right-hand dot and-dash-line pesition of Fig. 3, the pin 17 engages the member 27, at one end of the slot or opening 30, to turn the same, which so moves the member 33 that the spri-ng42 is moved across its dead-center position into I the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Since the to gle mechanism comprising the links 34 and 35 is connected between the lever 21 and the member 27, when the member 27 is actuated, the toggle is set, as shown in Fig. 3, but the lever 21 is not actuated. After this, when the operati moved, in the clockwise direction, back to its initial position, the pin 17 engages the member 27 at the opposite end of the slot the drawings. The spring 42 is of such strength, and the arrangement of parts such, that, when the sleeve 20 is turned by'the actuation of the link 21, the spring 25 is tensioned.

' Since the arm 18 is mounted on the rod- 15, .which has a lost-motion connection with the member 27, the projection 19 on the arm 18 will engage the latch 38 when the arm 6 is moved from its left-hand to its right-hand dot-and-dash-line positions of Fig. 2. When the latch 38 is actuated against its holding spring 43, the links 34 and 35 will buckle and the spring 25, acting through the arm 22, will quickly disengage the contact members 4 and 5 and return the mechanism to its initial osition.

In my invention, I uti' ize a double-acting spring for efi'ecting engagement of contact members and for storing sufficient energy in a second spring to permit the second spring to quickly disengage the contact members under predetermined conditions. By reason of the lost-motion connection between the operating handle and the movable contact members of the interrupter, a movement of the handle will permit the opening and closlever 6 is i ing operations to be completed by springs. Thus, the interrupter may be closed and opened quickly.

While I have illustrated the interrupter as beingtripped manually, it will be understood t at e ectromagnetic means may be provided for actuatin the latch 38, and; my invention is not limited to the particular structure illustrated, as it may be variously modified without departing from the irit and scope of the invention, as set fort in the a pended claims.

I c aim as my invention:

1. In a circuit. interrupter, the combination with a movable contact member and an operating handle, of a movable member operatively connected .to the movable contact member, a spring operatively connected to'the movable member for operating the interrupter, a toggle device operatively connected between the handle and the movable member, and a sprin co-operating with the toggle device for c osing the interrupter and resetting the toggle device.

2. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a movable contact member andan operating member, of a toggle mechanism operatively connected with said members, and snap-actuated means for releasably holding the toggle mechanism in position to lock the movable contact member.

3.'In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a movable contact member and an operating member, of a toggle mechanism operatively connected with said members, snap-actuated means for releasably holding the toggle mechanism in position to lock the movable contact member, and means for carrying the movable contact member to closed position with a snap action.

4. In a circuitiinterrupter, the combination with a movable contact member and an operating handle, of a turnable member operatively connected to,the movable contact member, a toggle mechanism disposed be tween the operating handle and the turnable member, and a double-acting spring, operatively connected to said handle and said tog le mechanism, to be moved to one side of its dead-center position when the toggle is set and to the other side when the handle is moved to the closing position.

5. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with co-operating movable and vstationary contact members, and an operating handle, of a toggle mechanism, a doubleacting spring co-operating with said movable contact member and said toggle mechanism to be moved to one position when the toggle mechanism is set and for quickly closing the contact members when moved to its other position, and a sin le-acting spring co-operating with said togg e mechanism, to open the contact members when the toggle is upset.

1,4,aoa

- moved to its other position, and a singleacting spring, co-operating with said doubleacting spring and said toggle mechanism, to be tensioned when the contact members are closed for the purpose of quickl opening the same when the toggle mec anlsm is upset.

7. In a circuit interrupter, the combinatlon with co-operating movable and stationary contact members and an operating handle, of a toggle mechanism connected between the handle and the movable contact member, and a double-acting spring -co-oper-- ating with said toggle mechanism, to be tltl spring,

moved to one position when the toggle is set by movement of the handle in one direction and to be moved to its other position to quickly close the contact members when the handle is moved in the other direction.

8. The combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating handle, of a to gle mechanism disposed betweenthe ban 1e and the movable contact member, a spring co-operating with said toggle mechanism, to be moved to one side of its dead-center position by the handle when the toggle mechanism is set and to the other side of its dead-center position when the handle is moved to its closed position, and a second spring co-operating' with said first spring, to be tensioned when the contact members are closed.

9. The combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating handle, of a toggle mechanism disposed between the handle and the movable contact member, 'a spring, co-operating with said toggle mechanism, to be moved to one side of lts dead-center position by the handle when the toggle mechanism is set and to the other side of its dead-center position when the handle is moved to its closed position, a second spring, co-operating with said first to be tensioned when the contact members are closed, and means for upsetting the toggle mechanism to permit the second sprin to open the contact members.

10. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating shaft, of a cylindrical member loosely mounted on the operating shaft and operatively connected to the movable contact member, a lever arm loosely mounted on the operating shaft and having a lost-motion connection therewith, a toggle c5 mechanism connected between the lever arm and the cylindrical member, and a doubleacting spring connected through a pin-andslot connection to the lever arm.

. 11. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with stationary and movable contact members and an operating shaft, of a movable member loosely mounted on the operating shaft and operatively connected to the movable contact member, a lever arm having a lost-motion pin-and-slot connection with the shaft, two links operatively connected between said lever arm and the movable. member to constitute a toggle mechanism, a latch mounted on one of the links for maintaining the toggle mechanism in its set position, a double-acting spring cooperating with said lever arm to move it in one direction over its dead-center position when the toggle mechanism is being set and in the other direction to close the contact members, and a single-acting spring connected to, and to be tensioned by, the movable member during the closing operation of the interrupter.

12. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a movable contact member and an operating handle, of a togglemechanism for operatively connecting the handle to the contact member, a spring for quickly resetting the toggle mechanism and closing the interrupter when the toggle mechanism is set, and a second spring for opening the interrupter when the toggle mechanism is upset.

13. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with a movable contact member and an operating handle, of a toggle mechanism for operatively. connecting the handle to the contact member, a spring for quickly setting the toggle mechanism and closing the interrupter when the toggle mechanism is set, and a second spring co-operating with the other spring to be tensioned by the closing operation thereof for opening the inter rupter when the toggle mechanism is upset.

14. A circuit interrupter comprising an operating member, a contact-carrying member, a latching to gle mechanism operatively connected with t e operating member and the contact-carrying member, and means actuated by the operating member for resetting the latching toggle mechanism with a snap action and for actuating the movable contact member with a snap action.

15. A circuit interrupter comprising relatively movable contact members, an operating member, a toggle mechanism operatively connected between said members, and means for causing each of the toggle-resetting, circuit-closing and circuit opening operations to be effected with a snap action.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribedmy name this 20th day of Dec.

CHARLES H. HODGKINS. 

